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Joy had no answer for her. She didn’t know who he was, other than an elf, but that was obvious from his olive green and black leathers, his chiselled features, and the gently pointed ears just peeking out from his long, dark ponytail.
Gabi glanced at the man, who stared solidly back at her, but there was something so empty and lacking about Gabi’s face. Even as something inside Joy thrashed against standing here while Victoriya suffered inside, she stepped beside Gabi, close enough to touch, wanting to erase that blankness.
It was such a practised emptiness that she had to be feeling something intense beneath the calm mask. Whatever was between Gabi and this man, it was big and prickly with pain.
The elf’s green eyes flicked away first, and Bo came striding forward, his hand white on his cane.
“You’ve heard about the witch murder,” Gabi said in a tight voice. Her eyes went to her dad and stayed there. The elf nodded; Bo’s expression did not change. “The killer is inside, in the records room, and she has a girl with her—one of my friends. We’re going in to get her to safety, and to arrest the killer. She’s blonde, young, slim and well put together. It’s Paulina’s assistant Katrina if you’ve ever met her.”
The elf made a sound in the back of his throat. “The simpering one.”
His voice was deep—deeper than even Bo’s—but the emotion that writhed in his eyes was there in his voice, too. Instead of the velvet it might have been, it was raw and gravelly. His eyes jumped past Gabi, to Joy and her coven, and something in his bearing reminded her of a soldier. “We’ll go in first and subdue the killer to give you time to get your friend out.”
Gabi nodded, her eyes lingering on Joy. “Stay behind me. Watch your back—and above you.”
She looked over Joy’s shoulder, to where Gus, Eilidh, Maisie and Salma were listening too. “If you get the chance, take Victoriya andget out.Go to the clinic—it’s the nearest guarded place. Agreed?”
“But—” Joy began.
“Joy.” Gabi’s voice was soft, somehow more powerful than a shout. “I’ll be okay. I have Peregrine and my dad if something happens.”
Joy opened her mouth to say something dumb.I don’t want to lose you again. I want to stay with you. I’m scared, I’m so scared.
“Be careful,” she said after a moment.
Gabi squeezed Joy’s hand and then let go.
Joy’s heart rushed fast, her back prickling with sweat, but her steps didn’t falter when she followed the elven warrior and the two Prides up the stairs and into the town hall that hid a murderer.
THIRTY
GABI
Gabi’s heart pounded as she ran through everything in her head one final time. She should be calm, her emotions kept far down to allow her to do her job, but with Joy here and in danger, that calm was impossible to hold onto. This was the last thing she wanted—Joy and the others walking into a situation with so many variables and a killer who targeted witches—but there was no keeping the coven away from when Victoriya was in danger. Besides, Gabi needed their help facing the witch killer, as bad as that sounded. She was one woman, and very aware of her limitations when it came to power.
Peregrine stormed into the town hall in front of her, dark haired and as immovable as the statues of Agedale’s founders in the lobby. With him here, there was no way in hell Gabi was going to find calm.
Her best friend, her cousin—liar, betrayer, brother.
Hurt speared behind Gabi’s rib cage but she wrenched her stare away from him. She thought of Victoriya, snarling and threatening the first time Gabi had met her, seething with fear for Joy. Gabi pictured her fierceness stripped from her after Neil had been attacked, and imagined she looked a lot like that scared girl right now, with her hands bound and Katrina—Perchta—taunting her. Likely hovering over her with the same knife that had carved Freya’s cheek.
Focus came quickly at that image, and Gabi held it in an unrelenting fist. Her back straightened; her lungs filled with a clearing breath.
The reception desk was empty. The quiet of the lobby was notable as their steps echoed; usually people scurried from hallway to hallway, conversations making a dull hum. A scant few people moved through the building but quickly, silently, with their heads ducked and shoulders hunched.
Unease grew inside Gabi despite the lock on her emotions. She allowed herself a single assessing glance behind her to make sure the coven—to make sureJoy—was close and prepared, wands in hand, protective spells at the ready.
Griswald, the guard from the day Gabi met Victoriya, stood by the lifts, barely a head shorter than them and nearly as wide. Peregrine’s shoulders tensed perceptively, his hand twitching, but Griswald made no move to stop them; he didn’t call out to ask them what they were doing. He simply stood by the lift doors, staring into space.
“Griswald,” Gabi said in as pleasant a voice as she could muster. “I’m looking for Katrina, have you seen her?”
The mountain of a man only blinked. Peregrine looked over his shoulder to share a look with Gabi, and it was easy—too easy—to communicate her thoughts to him even after so many years apart. It was a talent that came with growing up together.
“I have a warrant to search this property,” Gabi went on, producing the paper from her pocket. It was forged but he didn’t need to know that. Griswald gave no response, but Gabi had a sinking feeling he wouldn’t let them into the lift.
“This is not going to be easy,” Gabi heard Peregrine murmur.
Her dad nodded his agreement, his dark eyes flitting around the room, searching for nooks that could hide a witch, for CCTV, for exits and doors to other rooms. Gabi knew because she was doing the same thing. There were three doors on this level—one to the slope that led to the cells, one to Paulina’s office, and one to a lushly appointed meeting room. Her dad broke off from the group to search all of them, his left hand curled at his side, elven magic within reach.
